About the Exhibition
The 100th meridian is the geographic threshold of the American West, historically delineating the humid East from the arid West. Into the Meridian: The New West Vanguard exhibition will explore the works of artists who have chosen to ground their practice West of the 100th meridian. The premise of this show is curiosity about artists emerging in a time of immense flattening, when AI permeates our existence both with and against our will, and we are incessantly inundated with information and images from across the planet. So, we feel compelled to ask, What does it mean to be rooted in the Western experience today? Does it matter? Is it meaningful to you? This show seeks developing artists who contemplate, challenge, define, or investigate the traditional concept of “The West”. This is not about the West of the past; it is about defining the power, pride, and presence of the West today.
Award
A $2,500 prize will be awarded to one participating artist, selected by a judge and the gallery.
Eligibility
- Open to artists with an emerging professional practice in the West (i.e. a minimum of 3 years of active exhibitions.)
- Age Eligibility: Open to artists born in 1986 or later.
Entry Fee
- $35.00 USD per artist for 5 artworks.
Submission Requirements
- Please submit up to five artworks for consideration that are available for exhibition.
- The quantity of artworks per selected artist depends on our physical space limitations and the overall curatorial approach upon reviewing all submitted entries.
- Submission Statement (up to 300 words): Tell us about your relationship to the West and its influence on your work or artistic development.
Why Apply?
A small jury of esteemed art professionals will select the artists. Selected artists will be exhibited at Weems Gallery in Albuquerque, NM June 12th - July 11th, 2026. A $2,500 prize will be awarded to one of the participating artists, selected by the gallery and a judge. Artists will be featured on the gallery website and all works will be available for sale online and in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition.
Notifications Are Posted in Your Account
Results will be posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on May 12, 2026. You will also receive an email.
Log in and check your account. We are unable to answer individual inquiries about results.
Image and Filename Specifications
- File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
- Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
- Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
- Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
- File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
- File Size: There is a 30MB maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.
Additional Entry Information
- You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
- After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (May 5, 2026.)
- Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
- Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
Support
Questions about this exhibition?
Contact Weems Gallery ([email protected]) for questions about the prospectus, WG, eligibility, artwork requirements, drop-off, pick-up, sales, etc.
Need help with ShowSubmit?
Visit our Help Center or Entry Guide for guidance on image uploads, payments, and managing your entry. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We respond Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm Eastern.